CLIENT CASE STUDY

Since 2021, we’ve partnered with the Marine Stewardship Council (the MSC) to tell powerful, globally relevant stories about sustainable fishing. Sometimes we step in to support their in-house team on photography or video projects; other times, we take the lead on producing full-scale documentaries. Whether it’s a short social clip or a long-form film, our aim is to make complex environmental issues feel clear, human, and engaging.

Our work spans from photographing MSC-certified seafood in supermarkets and restaurants to filming chef ambassadors creating sustainable recipes. We’ve also directed and produced longer-form documentaries, crafted animated explainers, and even commissioned original music scores to elevate the emotional impact of a story. The creative approach shifts with each brief, but the focus remains the same: helping build public understanding around the science and policy of sustainable fishing.

This collaboration plays a vital role in the MSC’s broader effort to communicate sustainable fishing as not only possible but essential. One example is our documentary Fishing for Solutions, which brought together global voices to explore the effects of climate change on the fishing industry. The film was comissioned to coincide with COP26 in the UK and helped shape the MSC’s public stance on climate for the first time.

One of our most significant collaborations with the MSC is The Decision, a documentary following a tuna fishery in the Indian Ocean as it weighs the challenges of becoming certified sustainable. Originally, the film was meant to cover a key policy convention in the region—but when little was decided and access proved limited, we pivoted to a more intimate, grounded story. This shift allowed us to explore the decision-making process of a single fishery in real time, capturing the tension between industry pressure, environmental responsibility, and long-term change.

Filmed on location in the Seychelles, the documentary combines cinematic footage, drone work from a local pilot, and animated explainers to make technical topics more accessible. We worked closely with the MSC’s policy and science teams to ensure accuracy and sensitivity—especially as the featured fishing method had drawn some criticism. Balancing transparency with nuance was key to telling a story that could resonate with both public audiences and industry insiders.

The Decision was shortlisted for the Smiley Charity Film Award and went on to screen at festivals around the world, including in Germany and South Korea. With translated versions distributed through the MSC’s website and YouTube channel, the film continues to act as both an educational resource and a valuable tool for other fisheries beginning their own sustainability journey.